I have a lot of oil brushes, as can be seen in the accompanying photo. I have another much smaller group for watercolor. I NEVER use my watercolor brushes for oil painting. Watercolor brushes are more expensive and should, with proper care, last a long time. Some of my watercolor brushes cost nearly $100. Are the high prices worth it? Yes; a good brush is an extension of your hand.
I use synthetic brushes for glazing and roughing in broad, flat areas. In spite of the marketing hype, synthetic brushes remain inferior to natural brushes in all regards except durability. Synthetic brushes are nearly indestructible, and only lose their usefulness (limited as it is) when the ferrule detaches from the handle. And they’re cheap–deservedly so.
I keep a large assortment of sable brushes for detail work. Rough surfaces and thinners are murder on brushes. I buy inexpensive sables and always get several of the same size. This way, individual brushes see less work and last longer. A decent sable for oils does not leave hairs on the surface. Some brands I’ve used include Winsor Newton, Creative Mark, and Trekell among others.
I bought a lot of Isabey rounds at a fire sale (yellow brushes in the back-left). They are excellent brushes but I prefer flats over rounds.
My workhorse brushes, the brushes I use for everything except the finest detail or glazes, are my hog bristle flats. A good hog bristle brush is magic. I use an assortment of #2’s – #5’s every day. Hog bristle brushes are reasonably priced and you can get an assortment of excellent brushes without breaking the bank. I do the same thing with the hogs that I do with the sables: get several of each size to increase their lifespan.
My favorite hogs are from Winsor Newton and Trekell. Both brands are excellent and affordable. Both brands are crisp, retain their shape, and do not leave bristles on the surface. Both brands handle very well. I give a slight edge to Trekell because they seem slightly more durable.
Before I wash my brushes, I dunk them in mineral spirits (paint thinner) for a few seconds to remove excess paint. I keep a sealed jar of mineral spirits with a rag at the bottom for this purpose. I never soak or set my brushes in thinner. I wash my brushes in linseed soap every day. The oil-based soap cleans and conditions the brushes.
Eventually, even with proper care, oil brushes deteriorate and lose their shape and drop bristles and become useless, although with proper care they can last years. My old brushes rarely die. I keep them around for special effects–you never know when you’ll need a twisted-up old brush.
